Wasootch Ridge
A 7km ridge in the upper Kananaskis Valley
We only went a couple kilometres along, but in better conditions the full ridge would be awesome.

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Map of the ridge - our route in black.

The ridge rises abruptly above the Wasootch parking lot with no visible trail to gain it-
so we headed straight up through the trees. At this point it is open enough forest to not inhibit passage.
Far more troublesome were the intermittant patches of light snow cover or ice.
There was never enough to properly step into, but plenty enough to make thr ground slippery.
Eventually we made it up to a first bump, and began the ridgewalk.

Wes, Laurier, and Axel camoflauging on the way up the first slope.

Mounts Allan and Collembola

Cool tower on mountain west of the ridge.

Group shot at the first high point.

Once we moved higher along the ridge, we started to get into areas with thicker forest - and deeper snow.
In the places with better tree cover, no snow had melted or blown away, and it got fairly deep.
In the more exposed places, much of the snow had blown away, leaving nice expanses of bare rock.
Every so often, however, we'd hit one of the drifts it had piled into - mid-thigh depth for me!

Laurier moves ahead through the snow.

Axel's getting into the deep stuff.

Wes, Laurier, and Rachel on a rocky bump.

Wes, Laurier, and Axel moving along the ridge.

Looking ahead along the ridge.

Unnamed mountain across the Kananaskis valley.

Mount Lorette at right, Allan, Colllembola and others at left.

Wes, Laurier, and Rachel.

Sun reflects off a clear snowy spot.

Heading down the ridge with Mount Lorette behind.

Laurier follows Axel and Wes up the slope.

Axel and Wes on the way down.

Not wishing to go down the icy slope we came up, we detoured west before the end of the ridge,
and scrambled down a set of ledges and scree.
There were a couple interesting rock spots, but it was far nicer than skidding into trees.